Being sustainable doesn’t mean you have to be boring. Finding your fashion style is a fun journey. And embracing sustainable practices along the way can make it even more meaningful.
There are many ways, tricks, and shortcuts to finding your unique style. But I’m not gonna lie, I was overwhelmed with the many different options and opinions when I started.
And after reading so many blogs about it, I decided to silence the noise and create my own way, my own journey. Because that’s what it’s suppose to be about. YOU!
While I’m not gonna tell you what to do, I will guide you in the right direction, and then it’s up to you to FLY in a way that feels sustainable and stylish.
Here are 5 eco-friendly approaches to help you develop your unique look without compromising your values.
Find Inspiration Anywhere
The best part about this process is that there’s inspiration everywhere around you. Just look and pay attention. The first thing I want you to do is study styles and outfits that grab your interest.
Where can you find fashion inspiration?
If you are a homebody, start by looking for inspiration from your television entertainment. Movies, TV Shows, Anime Characters, Commercials, you name it.
Are you always reading something? Start with magazines, books, or online articles you already read and love.
Can’t stay away from your phone? Start with social media. My favorite go-to apps for inspiration are Pinterest and Instagram. You can create mood boards on Pinterest or save/bookmark content in a collection folder on Instagram.
No matter where you find inspiration, try to capture the look on your phone by taking a picture of your TV screen, pages from a magazine/book, or screenshot it on your phone. You’ll need this for the next step.
Study Outfits You Like
Finding inspiration is an exciting ongoing process. Once you have a good collection, start studying the outfit and break them down. To do this, you want to look at an outfit, and ask yourself these questions:
- What clothing items are in this outfit (list everything)
- What colors are in this outfit?
- Do you like the fit?
- Are there any textures in this outfit?
- Any patterns?
- What shape is the outfit giving?
- Is it well-proportioned (visually balanced)?
- What style aesthetic is this? (Boho, Casual, Preppy, Streetwear, Business Wear, etc.)
This could either be annoying or very exciting. The idea is to train your brain on how to break down and style an outfit. This will teach you how to think when choosing clothing items, and putting them together.
Notice the questions above align perfectly with the 6 fundamentals of style: color, fit, texture, pattern, shape, and proportions. These are important to consider when creating a visually balanced and functional outfit.
After doing this for a few outfits you love, take this, and let’s go to the next step, the really fun part if you love dressing up.
Remember to keep an open mind. Try anything and everything that sparks your interest.
Shop Thrift Stores
The best place to try different styles and pieces are thrift stores. There are so many styles, fits, fabrics, and prints that it’s the perfect place to explore new things.
The key rule in this step is to always keep an open mind. When browsing through the stores, grab anything that sparks your interest.
And since you already have an idea of what you like, you can see if there are styles there and try it on.
Use your inspiration pictures to pick clothes outside your comfort zone and try them on in the dressing room. Don’t forget to take pictures of your whole body to build your own portfolio.
This way, you will see how certain clothes look on you from an outer point of view, inside, or just in your mirror. Trust me. There is a difference and you will look at yourself from a different perspective.
The more you take photos of yourself, the more you will learn about what style, color, pattern, texture, and fit looks best on you. Think of this as a process portfolio that captures your style going from your current to something more elevated, more of who you really are.
When you are on downtime, go to your style portfolio and study your pictures.
Embrace Slow Fashion Brands
If you are beginning your sustainable fashion lifestyle, you can transition your wardrobe to embrace slow fashion brands.
For me, this was a bit of a transition, asn I’m used to shopping from SHEIN, ZARA, Victoria’s Secret, and other local retailers. As my closet is mostly thrifted, I decided to buy from sustainable brands.
Here are a few brands I’m liking so far:
- Allbird – Sneakers for cool kids.
- Sézane – Everything is so lux and of quality.
- Warp + Weft – Sustainable denim… Need I say more?
But if you are looking at those prices like…. ummm, ma’am?! I get it. They can be a tad bit pricey, especially if you are used to SHEIN prices.
If that’s you, I got you. Here are some affordable sustainable brands to check out.
- Everlane – Hit up the sale’s page to get affordable items.
- Honest Basics – Affordable for the whole family.
Rinse & Repeat
No matter if you buy the clothes or not, it’s about creating a visual portfolio to study and learn about your style. If you find that the clothes don’t fit like you thought, that’s okay.
Now you know that blouses may not be your thing, crop tops could make you feel insecure, or the baggy pants the girls wear online completely swallow you.
Or you may find that crop tops make you feel super sexy, and baggy pants make you feel confident and blouses are perfect for office wear.
You can rinse and repeat this as often as you want.
I hope this easy 4-step method to finding your personal style helps.
So what’s your vibe?
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